Collapsible tube with a noncontaminating insert for the neck thereof



F. M. MENHENEOTT ETAL 2,481,857 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE WITH A NON-CONTAMINATING INSERT FOR THE NECK THEREOF Flled July 12, 1945 Sept. 13, 1949.

md E m wE Patented Sept. 13, 1949 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE WITH A NONCONTAMI- NATING INSERT FOR THE NECK THEREOF Frank Marshall Menheneott and Wilfrid John Hagger, London, England, assignors to Betts and Company Limited, London, England, a

British company Application July 12, 1945, 'Serial No. 604,630

' InGreat Britain August 22, 1944 '3 Claims. (01., 222 92 This invention relates to collapsible tubes, and more particularly to tin-plated lead collapsible tubes. It is known that in tin-plated lead collapsible tubes wherein the shoulder and nozzle are also made of tin-plated lead there is liable to be an exposure of lead inside the nozzle and in particular at the inside edge where the nozzle joins the shoulderfurth'ermoreythe ejection of the contents through the nozzle is liable to wear away some of the tin and expose leadinside the nozzle. The lead which is exposed contaminates and discolours the contents of the tube. It is also known to overcome this difliculty by making the shoulder and nozzle of non-metallic plastic material but the use of such a shoulder and nozzle renders it necessary to provide special means whereby the barrel of the tube can be joined thereto and there is moreover a. liability of the contents seeping between the said parts.

The object of the present invention is to make use of a collapsible tube having a shoulder and nozzle of tin-plated lead but to provide a very simple and efficient means of protecting from contact with the contents of the tube those parts, mentioned above, where there is likely to be an exposure of lead.

According to the invention, the inside of the nozzle, the inside edge where the nozzle joins the shoulder, and the surrounding inside surface of the shoulder near the said edge, are prevented from contact with the contents of the collapsible tube by an insert of non-contaminating material consisting of a tube flared at one end, the flared portion fitting closely against the inside of the shoulder while the tube fits into the nozzle. By a non-contaminating material is meant a material which will not contaminate the contents to be placed in the collapsible tube.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of examples, how the invention may be carried out in practice.

Figures 1 and 2 are a vertical section and plan view respectively of an insert according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a plan view of an alternative form of insert.

Figure 4 is a section through the upper part of a collapsible tube showing an insert in position.

Figures 5 and 6 are a vertical section and plan view respectively of a fluted insert.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sections through the upper part of a collapsible tube showing successive stages in the placing in position of another alternative form of insert. I

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the insert shown is preferably made of a non-metallic plasticmaterial although other material which will not contaminate the contents to be placed in the tube can be employed; for instance, the insert may be made of pure tin. The insert consists of a tubular part I, which may be slightly tapered on the outside as shown, and a flared 'part 2.

Figure 4 shows the insert of. Figures 1 and 2 placed in position in a collapsible tube. The im sert is introduced, of course, from the inside of the collapsible. tube and is forced into thenozzle 3, the outside of the tubular part I being slightly larger than the hole of the nozzle so that the application of a certain amount of force isnecessary to ensure a tight fit. The flared part 2 of the insert should be so designed that it will fit closely against the inside of the shoulder 4 of the collapsible tube,

The position at which an exposure of lead is most likely to occur in a tin-plated lead collapsible tube is the inside edge at. 5, where the inside surface of the nozzle meets the inside surface of the shoulder. There is also likel to be an exposure of lead inside the nozzle above this edge and also on the inside surface of the shoulder for a certain distance below this edge. The flared part 2 of the insert should be large enough to cover all that portion of the inside of the shoulder 4 where a fracture of the tin-plating is likely to cause an exposure of lead.

It will be seen that the top of the insert is level with the top of the nozzle. The efiect of this is that when the cap is screwed on it will close the top of the insert and so prevent any possibility of the contents of the collapsible tube seeping around the top edge of the insert and down between the inside of the nozzle and the outside of the insert.

If desired, the insert can be coated with adhesive prior to insertion although this is not particularly necessary since there will be no pressure tending to separate the insert from the nozzle; in fact, the pressure of squeezing out the contents will tend to maintain the tightness of the fit. As an alternative or an addition to the use of an adhesive there may be provided ridges or other projections upon the outside of the tube of the insert so that when the said tube enters the nozzle the comparatively soft metal of the nozzle will close around the projections and pro vide a positive grip which action may be ensured by the application of pressure around the nozzle. Here again, the use of such projections is not particularly necessary for the reason stated.

Figures 5 and 6. show an example of an insert provided with ridges upon the outside surface of the tube of the insert. In this case the insert is fluted with the ridges 1, these ridges having no depth at the top of the tube and increasing in depth to the bottom of the tube. As such an insert is forced into the nozzle, the ridges will penetrate the soft metal thereof and will ensure a tight fit.

The hole in the tube of the insert can be of any desired shape. Thus, if it be desired that the contents should be squeezed out in the form of a ribbon, the hole can be of suitable rectangular cross-section as shown at 6 in Figure 3.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 show successive stages in the placing in position of an insert which can be rolled around the outside of the nozzle. The,

insert should be made of a non-contaminating What we claim is:

1. A collapsible tube having a shoulder and a nozzle projecting from said shoulder, and an insert of non-contaminating material consisting of a tubular portion and a flared end, the tubular portion being provided with external longitudinal ridges, said flared end fitting closely against the inside of said shoylder and said tubular portion fitting into said nozzle with said ridges penetrating the material of said nozzle, said insert preventing the inside of said nozzle and the inner surface of said shoulder adjacent said nozzle from contacting the contents of said tube.

2. A collapsible tube according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinal ridges on said tubular portion deepen toward said flared end.

material which is capable of being spun or rolled.

.A suitable material is pure tin. Referring to Figure 7, it will be seen that the insert has an extended portion '8 which projects outside the nozzle. By spinning, or by other means, the portion 8 is turned over the nozzle so as to cover the outside thereof as shown in'Figure 8. The

:screw threads are then formed upon the outside of the turned-over portion 8 instead of upon the outside of the nozzle, as shown in Figure 9. When a screw thread is formed upon a tin-plated lead nozzle there is also liable to be an exposure 'of lead on and between the threads but with 3. A, collapsible tube according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinal ridges on said tubular portion deepen toward said flared end and have no depth at the end of the tubular portion remote from said flared end.

FRANK MARSHALL MENHENEOTT. WILFRID JOHN HAGGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,127,390 Church Aug. 16, 1938 2,184,712 Fleissig Dec. 26, 1939 2,246,123 Bruun June 17, 1941 2,352,384 Hoch June 27, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 345,032 Germany Jan. 7, 1921 512,158 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1939 

